| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Under the Andes by Rex Stout: the wall at all; and then--well, then I laughed aloud in spite of
myself. The thing was too ludicrous.
For that "dark line" along the bottom of the wall was a row of
squatting Incas! There they sat, silent, motionless; even when my
laugh rang out through the cavern they gave not the slightest sign
that they either heard or saw. Yet it was certain that they had
watched our every move.
There was nothing for it but retreat. With our knives we
might have fought our way through; but we were unarmed, and we had
felt one or two proofs of their strength.
Harry took it with more philosophy than I had expected. As
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: that during the thirty or forty days of my tenancy I had produced
a favourable impression. For a fortnight past I had been spared
the unattractive sight of the domestic slave. The girls in that
Bessborough Gardens house were often changed, but whether short
or long, fair or dark, they were always untidy and particularly
bedraggled, as if in a sordid version of the fairy tale the
ash-bin cat had been changed into a maid. I was infinitely
sensible of the privilege of being waited on by my landlady's
daughter. She was neat if anemic.
"Will you please clear away all this at once?" I addressed her
in convulsive accents, being at the same time engaged in getting
A Personal Record |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: ever and ever in that inner harbor, a derision and a by-
word to generations of long-shore loafers and dishonest
boatmen. I obtained three months' pay and a five days'
leave, and made a rush for London. It took me a day
to get there and pretty well another to come back--but
three months' pay went all the same. I don't know what
I did with it. I went to a music-hall, I believe, lunched,
dined, and supped in a swell place in Regent Street, and
was back to time, with nothing but a complete set of
Byron's works and a new railway rug to show for three
months' work. The boatman who pulled me off to the
Youth |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: years in the town of Cumnor, and being at this instant head-
borough, wilt thou suffer this guest of guests, this man of men,
this six-hooped pot (as I may say) of a traveller, to fall into
the meshes of thy nephew, who is known for a swasher and a
desperate Dick, a carder and a dicer, a professor of the seven
damnable sciences, if ever man took degrees in them?' No, by
Heaven! I might wink, and let him catch such a small butterfly
as Goldthred; but thou, my guest, shall be forewarned, forearmed,
so thou wilt but listen to thy trusty host."
"Why, mine host, thy counsel shall not be cast away," replied
Tressilian; "however, I must uphold my share in this wager,
Kenilworth |
